It was a day for celebrations at McDonald Park on Saturday with Shem Balshaw and Steve Duldig playing their respective 200th and 350th games, but it was the Millicent veteran who had the biggest smile after the final siren.
With the ladder tightening up both the Bulldogs and Saints were hungry for the premiership points in round 5 of the 2021 Bendigo Bank Western Border Football League.
An entertaining battle was the result and just two goals was the difference at the main break.
However, a barnstorming third term by the visitors which included six goals to one allowed the 2018 premier to pull off the same result as the decider two years ago on the identical patch of turf.
Millicent coach Clint Gallio admitted he was unsure how the game was going to pan out beforehand due to East missing the services of his opposite number Matt Willson, but said a lot went to plan during a tight tussle.
“It is great to snatch a win away from home because East was a bit of an unknown,” he said.
“We were confident we had the right mix and game plan to take it right up to East and the boys just played really well.
“It was a great game of footy with two sides just going hard at it, so from a spec- tators point of view it would have been pretty good to watch.” Millicent wrestled the early lead after emerging on top from a bright start to the game.
Both sides attacked the ball with pace under sunny skies and found their niche from the set shots.
The Saints enjoyed slightly more of the run of play and set up a two-goal margin at half time before breaking the game open.
Gallio said a team effort across the ground sparked a chain reaction to build the lead from 12 to 42 points.
“We started really well and our defence held up repelling the ball nicely,” he said.
“Our midfield got on top early and it felt like we were always dangerous going forward.
“We took care of the footy and had some really good entries, which gave our forwards plenty of opportunities to take some marks.” Gallio himself did a lot of the hard work in the centre square, while the likes of Gene Robinson and captain Jacob Carger inflicted the damage on the scoreboard by hardly missing a set shot.
By increasing the lead early in the last quarter, the fat lady was loosening her vocal cords, but the home side had one final fling at an unlikely win.
Co-coach Jayden Eldridge made up for the absence of his partner in crime by pressing forward, while Giancarlo Cooper was a constant threat, as was the left foot of Todd Lockwood.
Cooper, Lockwood and Mark Rumbelow all found form as East kicked the last five of the game, but it was not enough to prevent second consecutive defeat.
Meanwhile, Millicent has won three of its last four games and Gallio is pleased to see his side locked in a tight battle for second on the ladder.
However, he knows the challenge ahead in round 6 when the Saints hit the road to face a dominant South Gambier.
“We have a super young group, but we are improving each week which is a big tick for us,” Gallio said.
“South is undefeated, but it is a pretty close competition and teams are slowly nipping at their heels, so we will do everything we can to hit the second round of matches ready to go.” The Bulldogs also have an away game against the tricky West Gambier.
